LawLu Week 2020

Day Two: Ocean Dreams

A/N: A quiet night aboard the Thousand Sunny. 
(between Punk Hazard and Dressrosa.)

Word count: 1.1k

Luffy sat on Sunny's figurehead, looking up at the sky and leaning against Sunny's mane. The ship was quiet now. It had been full of life and chatter just a few minutes ago, before everyone headed off to bed. Nights like this were perfect, Luffy loved the quiet that came at the end of a lively night full of fun and food and singing. It was the way a pirate ship should always be. It reminded Luffy of the nights he'd spend with Shanks' crew.

Now there was only the creaking of planks and the sound of water sloshing against the hull of the ship. The wind picked up and blew through Luffy's bangs. The ship was so quiet now that Luffy could hear the wind fill up the sails.

Even the moon seemed to have grown too tired to fill up the sky. The stars were shining extra bright.

Luffy heard footsteps behind him. The sound of shoes clipping against wood was so loud now that the entire world seemed to be at rest. Luffy peeked over his shoulder, craning his neck just to see past Sunny's mane. He recognized the shadowed figure standing on the deck near him.

"Hi, Torao," Luffy said. His voice was just above a whisper, he didn't dare disturb the serenity around him. At least not right now. "I thought you went to bed with everyone else."

"I won't be able to sleep," Law said pretty bluntly. He hadn't been able to sleep much since they left Punk Hazard. Dressrosa was only a few short days away now and Law was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that his plan was finally being carried out. Even when Law finally got to Punk Hazard, getting to this point still felt so far out of reach.

"Oh, you said that the other night too," Luffy pointed out. Law didn't recall that but he did say much on that. "Is it because we're getting close to Dressroba?"

Law hated how on the spot Luffy was sometimes. It's like he could read Law's mind or something. Law leaned against the railing and stared out at the horizon. Not that he could actually see it, the sky was too dark and the water just blended with it without the moon to reflect off the water's surface.

"It's Dressrosa," Law corrected. Though there wasn't much energy in that correction. It was more of a half-assed reminder if Law were being honest. "And yes." Law was surprised to catch himself revealing that much to Luffy. Well, there was no sense trying to take back his words. Law let them hang there.

"What are you going to do after Dressroba and Kaido?" Luffy asked. Law gave up, getting Luffy to call Dressrosa by its proper name was as productive as getting Luffy to call him Law instead of Torao. It just wasn't going to happen.

"I don't know," Law said, he leaned against Sunny's railing and looked down at the water below him. He really wasn't expecting to make out of Dressrosa, let alone all the way to Wano. It was a bit selfish that Law was dragging Luffy and the Strawhats into that mess when Law didn't expect to see it through, he'd keep that to himself. For now at least.

"Don't you want to find the One Piece or something?" Luffy asked.

Law shrugged, though he wasn't sure that was something Luffy could even see. "I don't know, maybe if I make it that far. It's not really included in my plan, but if I get to it along the way, I certainly won't be disappointed. Being the Pirate King, I imagine, has its own rewards."

Luffy was quiet for a little bit, all Law could hear was movement coming from the figurehead.

"I'm gonna be the Pirate King," Luffy finally said. There was no challenge to his words, no bite in his tone, he was simply stating it as a fact. The inevitable end result. Law didn't have any issue doubting Luffy, not after what he had witnessed in Punk Hazard. Strawhat was a miracle worker after all.

"That'll make us enemies, I suppose," Law pointed out.

"Nope," Luffy countered. Law was too stunned to come up with a response to that. But he didn't need too, Luffy kept talking. "Rivals, not enemies, you're my friend Torao."

"We're allies," Law said. There was a thunk and Law see Luffy's figure down on the deck now.

"Uh-huh, and We have each other's back, right?" Luffy said. "I'm gonna help you get that Joker guy and then we're going to take down Kaido to get closer to the One Piece," Luffy spoke like those were feats were just a chore they had to get done. It was absolutely ridiculous.

"Yeah," Law said.

"That sounds like friends to me," Luffy decided. Law really had no hope in arguing with him. It was another thing that would be just about as productive as getting Luffy to call him Law. Though Law was starting to look forward to that silly nickname as the days went on. It brought a little chaos to Law's foresightful lifestyle.

"What are you going to do when you get the One Piece?" Law asked. It seemed only right to ask that.

"Oh, that's easy," Luffy said. Law could hear Luffy blinding smile in his voice. "First, I'll go back and visit everyone I made promises to visit again, and along the way, I'll just keep going on adventures with my friends. I'll have all the freedom in the world!" Luffy made it a declaration that echoed over the water, lifting his hand in the air like it made his words a reality. Then his hands dropped to his sides and Luffy looked down at the water, watching the barely visible waved chop against the ship.

"For Sabo, and for Ace," Luffy added.

"Sabo?" Law questioned, he recalled Ace all too well. It brought back the awful smell of burnt rubber and the horrid screeching that echoed through the Polar Tang when Luffy woke up after the war.

"My brother," Luffy said. "He wanted freedom more than me or Ace..."

Luffy talked like he was dead. Law didn't say much on that. Seeing Luffy the way he was two years ago carried a whole different meaning now. Ace wasn't the first brother he had lost...

Law thought about Lami, he'd do anything to see her again. Law took a deep breath and pushed that thought from his mind. It always brought up bad feelings that Law didn't want to deal with at the moment. Or ever.

"I think you'll end up with the One Piece," Law said, though there wasn't nearly as much conviction in his words as there had been in Luffy's.

"Shishi, I will!" Luffy leaned his shoulder against Law. Law held his breath, glancing down at him but not moving for fear of breaking the comfort of it all. Law knew he shouldn't be getting close to Luffy but it was a lot harder than it looked. Luffy was like a magnet.